How Royal Enfield has become a major lifestyle brand!

The motorcycling world is abuzz with Royal Enfield’s latest launch, the Super Meteor 650, and why not? It’s an exciting offering – a well-rounded cruiser with all the bells and whistles to impress motorcycle enthusiasts. Built on RE’s tried and tested twin-cylinder 650cc platform, the Super Meteor is already winning hearts worldwide. But this article isn’t about Royal Enfield’s bikes. As moto-journalists and reviewers shower praises on CEO Siddhartha Lal’s visionary approach to brand building, RE is quietly building its repertoire as a lifestyle brand.

Growing up, I couldn’t ignore the RE Bullet’s charm. The hunky motorcycle bewitched me – like so many others – with its telltale thump and robust looks. It was a man’s bike and riding it was a rite of passage for an adolescent youth. It was after many years and lots of miles clocked on a variety of motorcycles that I came to the conclusion that the Bullet of my boyhood days was just a piece of fucking junk. Attaching emotions to that behemoth was foolhardy, and it was less reliable than your average water pump. But Royal Enfield has come a long way since. Siddartha Lal took charge of a dying company and made it into the icon it deserved to be. The RE motorcycles have improved vastly in quality and appeal and are almost as reliable as their Japanese counterparts now. The sales figures are proof of this fairytale success story. While the 350cc platform has been doing amazing numbers in the domestic market for more than a decade now, the 650cc platform in its 5-year run has bewitched the offshore market, so much so that manufacturers like Triumph are feeling the heat. But all the while, RE was focusing on something many other motorcycle brands failed to spot.

You see, the myth surrounding a brand doesn’t come only from a cult following. All the old British motorcycle manufacturers still in business have cult followings. RE changed the game by introducing the Royal Enfield Lifestyle brand. And I’m not just talking about riding gear here! “40% of our buyers do not own a motorcycle.” That’s what Puneet Sood, Head of RE’s Apparel business said recently. ?When 40 out of every 100 apparel customers you have don’t ride your bikes but still find you charming enough to visit your showroom, ignore the shiny hunks of metal, and buy branded clothes, that says something about outreach, doesn’t it?

I decided to hop into the local RE store one day to try out some of the apparel (I decided to ignore the overpriced helmets because I don’t ride anymore). The T-shirts, jackets, and boots seemed well-made albeit slightly pricey. I bet I can buy better for less. The keychains, mugs, and wallets were untouchable because of their bloated price tags. But the Royal Enfield insignia was hard to ignore. It has a certain magnetic charm about it crafted over decades and embellished with a rich biking history. From racing legends Ray Knight, Steve Linsdell, and Geoff Duke to our homegrown actor Dharmendra Singh Deol – who hasn’t saddled up an RE! The brand name now lives on not only in the new motorcycles but also on branded merchandise you can proudly wear and call yourself a part of the tribe. Tribe – that’s exactly what Royal Enfield is building, and it has been successful to a large extent. According to Puneet Sood, “(RE) is building accessibility for expression. So people who don't own a motorcycle are still able to express their affinity for motorcycling. We measure our sales in terms of the impact we are able to make." Now that’s a visionary talking. Everything in an RE showroom, from the way the bikes are positioned to the light fixtures and apparel racks, displays a deliberate attempt to fan an intense craving to associate with the century-old brand. ?

If your online searches relate to motorcycles, gears, or stylish apparel even remotely, your social media page will be flooded by notifications on Royal Enfield apparel. While RE is still secretive about its lifestyle business figures, it has openly collaborated with brands like Levi’s, Rynox, Knox, TCX, and such. Some of these collaborations have been mighty profitable, others not so much. But Royal Enfield does seem ready to go all the way.

So far, the formula has worked for Siddhartha Lal. Build catchy motorcycles but build a catchier myth, and let it serve as your investment for the future.